Morning’s Reflections & Forever Alight

Were meetings predestined then ours was intended,
great oracles decreed it as fate, and the auguries chattered
with sweet benefactors and fêted to chance with a face.
We were then both separate and free in our choosing
sailed in clean air on the breeze, a following sea to sail
where we pleased and our pleasure a duty of care.
The elements schemed and drove us together, coincidence
less than a plan, a confluence of paths, an innocent meeting
but innocence died in the pan; unlike ships in the night that pass
on the right sharing glimpses of distant desires – and sail on free
to a known destiny with conscience as clear as the skies.
Our passage through life was changed on that night,
our courses aligned in the hour by forces and choices beyond our
resources, driven by unlimited power. The morning’s reflections
in clear light of day were freshened by stars in the sky,
forever alight and still burning bright and showing the reason why.
© I.D. Carswell

It is seldom I feel the urge to write two versions of a single poem, perhaps
because writing one it is difficult enough in itself, but this posting actually
gave me no choice. I thought the ‘Forever Alight’ version was finished but a
cursory re-editing produced ‘Morning’s Reflections’. Which is better? I don’t
know, and frankly, don’t care. I like them both for different reasons which I
do not intend to explain. You, however, are free to make a choice.

Were meetings destined then this was one
to take a leading place, the oracle decreed it fate
in a matrix of moving matter, and the signs all clattered with
chance fêted as a sweet benefactor. When we were separate
entities in clear air with a fair breeze and sailing on pleasure,
scheming elements drove us together in a coincidental
confluence of paths, a meeting in all innocence;
but unlike ships that pass in the night, sharing glimpses
of distant but unkown consequence – and sail on free
in an unaltered conscience to reach detached destinations,
our passage through life was changed irrevocably,
our courses aligned by forces beyond our power to deflect.
Do you remember it now? Do you recall how it was?
In the mornings and in the clear light of day the freshness remains
in the glorious evening stars still burning bright,
the heavens forever alight.
© I.D. Carswell